Although you would not know it by the exceptionally nasty weather, spring is here.  The first crane reports are trickling in, although they are of cranes passing overhead going across Cook Inlet to other nesting areas.  April 4, a report of four flying west past Beluga Slough and then on April 16, two reports–seven passing Beluga Slough and 35-40 spiraling high over the Anchor River mouth have been called in.  So far, no cranes have been reported on the groundin the Kachemak Bay area.